Match Reports

Match Report | Wycombe Wanderers 1-3 Luton Town

The Hatters came from behind to secure the win that took them past last season's 51-point tally at Wycombe this afternoon.

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Three goals in eight late second-half minutes did the damage as George Moncur and Kazenga LuaLua proved to be perfect game changers before Elijah Adebayo headed in his fourth goal for the club to seal the three points.

Manager Nathan Jones made four changes for the trip to Adams Park, where the Hatters boasted an unbeaten record in 14 previous visits.

Following his goal against Barnsley on Easter Monday, Republic of Ireland striker James Collins started alongside Elijah Adebayo, his first start since the defeat to Norwich City last month.

Captain Sonny Bradley returned to the starting XI after playing 45 minutes in the 2-1 defeat against the Tykes, whilst there were also recalls to the starting line-up for James Bree and Luke Berry.

A tight opening 15 minutes was perhaps predictable, and Bradley had to break off from his battle with striker Uche Ikpeazu and be alert to clear from the edge of his own six-yard box ahead of Simon Sluga as Fred Onyedinma looked to get on the end of a Jack Grimmer header.

Berry sent a dangerous looking cross in looking for the head of Adebayo, but Wycombe dealt with the threat well.

Kal Naismith stepped out from the left side of three centre-halves to fire a 35-yard shot at goal in the 24th minute, but was well off target as Chairboys keeper David Stockdale remained untroubled.

The Hatters survived a huge penalty appeal seconds later when Ikpeazu went down on the left edge of the area under an awkward-looking challenge by Matty Pearson, then Onyedinma bent the first shot on target with half-an-hour gone, fortunately straight at Sluga from 18 yards.

The hosts had the lead in the 37th minute, however, when referee Oli Langford did award a spot-kick after Naismith brought down Admiral Muskwe as he looked to get on the end of a left-wing crosss from Ikpeazu, who had left Pearson floored on the left touchline with the Town defender needing treatment to a facial injury sustained in the tussle.

Anis Mehmeti managed to place his penalty past Sluga, who dived the right way and got a hand to it, but couldn't keep it out.

Referee Langford called skipper Bradley in for a chat with Collins, who had continued his protestations about the decision as the players prepared to restart, with Pearson's nose bloodied.

Adebayo pinched the ball from the goalscorer in his own third a minute before half-time, but his low cut-back from the right byline was cleared and Mpanzu could only direct his folllow-up cross onto the roof of the Wycombe net.

It was Adebayo who did well down the right again in injury-time, shaking off Josh Knight and finding Ryan Tunnicliffe, whose low cross was intercepted by Stockdale before Berry could profit, and the Hatters went in at the break a goal down.

Jones made two changes at half-time, bringing on Harry Cornick and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for Berry and Tunnicliffe.

Dewsbury-Hall had the first shot on target on 51 minutes, Collins winning the ball from a Bree cross and Clark slipping the midfielder in on the overlap to fire a bullet that Stockdale beat away at his near post.

Within ten minutes of the restart Jones had introduced another attacker with Kazenga LuaLua on for Bree, and the Chairboys were soon reduced to ten men when Josh Knight was shown a straight red for a poor challenge on Clark.

Mpanzu sent a header straight at Stockdale from Cornick's cross, although the linesman's flag was already raised for offside, then LuaLua teed up Collins for a 65th-minute shot that flew high over the bar.

The Hatters were dominating possession and trying to prise a way through, but Wycombe were defending with their lives producing block after block.

Adebayo volleyed over the bar from 12 yards when Cornick picked him out from the right with 20 minutes left, then Dewsbury-Hall cut back from the left byline for Collins, but Anthony Stewart managed to get back and prevent the striker from finishing into an empty net.

Jones threw another attacker into the fray with just under a quarter-of-an-hour to go, with George Moncur on for Pearson, and it was the free-kic specialist who conjured up the equaliser in the 80th minute.

Clark was fouled 25 yards from goal - Moncur territory - and the former Barnsley man rekindled memories of Pompey, Fleetwood and Oxford in the League One-winning season to bend his effort around the Wycombe wall and past Stockdale, low into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later Town were in front, and it was the other sub - LuaLua - taking a pass from Moncur on the edge of the box and bending a beauty into the top corner.

It was three in the 88th minute when Adebayo headed a right-wing Cornick cross past Stockdale for his fourth goal for the club and seal an eighth away win of the season.

Town: Sluga; Bree (LuaLua 54), Pearson (Moncur 77), Bradley (C), Naismith, Clark; Tunnicliffe (Dewsbury-Hall 46), Mpanzu, Berry (Cornick 46); Collins (Rea 90+2), Adebayo.

Substitutes: Shea, Cranie, Nombe, Morrell.

Yellows: Bradley

Goals: Moncur 80, LuaLua 85, Adebayo 88

Wycombe: Stockdale; Grimmer, Stewart, Ikepeazu (Samuel 78), Knight, Muskwe (Akinfenwa 84), Thompson, Onyedinma, Adeniran, McCarthy (C), Mehmeti (Wheeler 62).

Substitutes: Allsop, Pattison, Kashket, Phillips, Horgan, McCleary.

Goal: Mehmeti (pen) 37

Yellows: Mehmeti

Red: Knight

Referee: Oliver Langford

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